Even if you feel as though you have reached your specific running goal or time, there is always more room to improve. Don’t let age, mental barriers, or other runners hinder your ability to further challenge yourself.

Distance
Adding an extra mile every two weeks or even going for an extra 5 mins is a small step to improve your physical health. Running an extra mile improves your distance running while also minimizing the possibility of an injury.

Stretching
While this may be obvious for some, many runners skip out on stretching because it “wastes time.” Truth be told, this is the number one way to avoid a preventable injury such as pulling your hamstring or straining a muscle. Light stretching is absolutely essential when it comes to preparing for your run on a track, on light terrain, or on a treadmill.

Running Club
Joining a community where members run in unison is a great way to meet other runners in the area while also being part of a fitness group in your town. This also can give runners motivation to better themselves with support from other team members or friends instead of going at it alone.

In addition to following the above three tips, every week or every other week try to challenge yourself in a different way. Running at a faster pace with the same distance goal allows you to work your heart rate up while pushing your body to perform in a different way. While this can be difficult for many sprinters who aren’t accustomed to long distance running, this tip could bring you to the next level.

Although improving your running routine is physically draining, mentally preparing for your faster run or longer distance job is also vital. Playing energetic music, listening to an inspirational podcast, or speaking with an encouraging loved one can offer the emotional support needed to motivate you.

When the word running is said most people cringe. Sure its exhausting, hard, and getting sweaty isn’t anyone’s dream in life but it does help you in many ways you cant imagine. Running or walking at least 20 minutes a day can help your heart build muscle to get stronger and also shred those extra pounds.

Getting on the treadmill does not necessarily burn a lot of calories at once but does the job of toning your body. A lot of people do not understand that it is a full body workout, sure your legs are primarily working but your core is also twisting every time you take another step. Running long distances trains your muscles with endurance and makes your muscle cells larger making your fat cells smaller. Running 3 times a week can help keep your muscles active and tone your body.

2. High reps, low weights

Sometimes getting into lifting is hard when you don’t know how many reps and how much weight you should be putting on. The key to get a leaner body is to have higher reps and lower weights. People get leaner by training your muscles through endurance training. By saying higher reps means about 12-15 per set. The weight should also be lighter. Lets say for example you can max out squatting at 100lbs. If you want to tone your legs lift 60lbs and do it for 12-15 reps doing 3-5 sets. This will shred the excess fat in your legs and make them not bulky muscular but toned.

3. Give your body a rest

The most important advice about toning down is taking the proper rest. You should be alternating lifting and running for 4-5 days during the week and taking days off as needed. Feeling sore is good but there should never be a time where you are lifting the same muscle group as you did the previous day. By doing so, you are not allowing your muscle to heal properly and results could take longer as well as the muscle may feel more achy and sore for longer.

4. Eat right

Eating right does not mean you cant have a cheat day, it just means try to limit the amount of saturated fats and salty foods. A bowl of chips wont kill you once a week but eating out at a fast food place once a day will. Eating right can be fun. Try new recipes once a week to shake things up and make it exciting. It is most important that when lifting and running you get as much protein in your body as possible, preferable lean meats like turkey and chicken. These food sources are lower is saturated fats which helps your body run more smoothly. Eating vegetables everyday is a plus and try getting in two fruits a day (make sure they are lower in sugar).

5. Commit to a plan

If you go into this journey blindly without a plan there is a high chance you might not get the results you want. Its hard enough to start exercising and eating right but if you don’t know your end goal and a way to get there the journey can be tough. Mark everyday on your calendar what muscles you want to lift, how long you want to run, and what you want to eat. This way you can keep track of the foods you eat and how much you are exercising. If you see that you are taking a day off in the middle of the week try a lighter leaner lunch and dinner. If you had a hard long workout one day make sure to replenish your body with the right fuel.

Whether you happen to overeat after a stressful day at work or to simply reward yourself, it is common for individuals to overeat to fulfill their junk foods cravings, get something off their minds, or simply are bored. Regardless of the reason, overeating in general is a really unhealthy happen that tends to exponentially increase obesity for Americans across the country.

“Emotional overeating happens when we eat to cope with stress, either in the absence of hunger or passed the point of being satiated,” said Dr. Heather Meggers-Wright, licensed psychologist of Behavioral Health Clinic of Wausau.

Dr. Heather Meggers-Wright also provides professional insight in relation to the types of food we crave as we overeat. With stress, we often crave foods high in calories that take our minds off whatever is stressing us out or negatively affecting our mental or emotional health.

In addition to simply gaining weight, overeating can also lead to some psychological effects related to decreased self-esteem and feeling sad or upset the unhealthy food consumed.

To avoid extreme cases such as bulimia or consist overeating, try to follow the below steps to prevent any negative health effects from this habit.

Know yourself

Find a healthy replacement if you generally consume high calorie food when you are stressed or have anxiety. Instead of going to the chocolate cake first, try eating your favorite fruit or low-calorie dessert to supplement you craving. You know yourself better than anyone so making the best food choices is really up to you and you only.

Small snacks

Your body takes about three hours to digest a meal. Eating small snacks throughout the day instead of large meals will help suppress hunger on a regular basis. A ready supply of carrots, apples, or nuts will both give you sufficient energy without causing drowsiness that heavy or high calorie foods tend to have.

Cultural norms

On a macro-level, social events such as Thanksgiving or weddings are often seen as special occasions geared towards overeating in the name of celebration. As you attend these gatherings, exercise self-control to prevent overeating that would deter the healthy habits in your day to day.

If you have a tendency to overindulge at these times, one tip is to eat healthier foods before going to said event in order to prevent any kind of overeating. Also, incorporating lean or vegetarian proteins to curb your appetite is also very useful when faced with the urge to overeat. Some healthy foods high in protein include eggs, beans and poultry.

Internet browsing
Falling into a steady mental state that is geared towards work productivity for an extended amount of time is called “flow.” This basically entails working in a productive state without texting, clicking on articles that appeal to you, or checking how many likes you have received on your latest Facebook post. On average, it takes individuals around 15 minutes before they have reached a mental state when they are 100% focused on whatever work task is at hand. Distractions come fairly easy, so it is absolutely essential to exercise as much self-control as possible during work hours.

Perfect does not exist
Coming to terms with the fact that you or anybody else will not attain perfectionism will guide you to overcome this concept as you try to increase productivity. Striving towards perfection only lessens one’s positive outlook because whatever you are writing, creating, or working on, it is in no way good enough. Believing in your abilities to overcome this mental view of yourself will help you to become the best you can be.

Avoid pointless meetings
Taking the time to weed out meetings that could answer a question in a quick email or phone call can fundamentally productive workflow throughout the day. Directly connected to appropriate time allocation, evaluating how time is spent will allow you to either add to reduce minutes from excessive meetings that generally a huge waste of time for everyone.

Don’t hit the snooze button
Believe or not, your brain prepares you to be awake at a certain time everyday, which is sometimes why you jump out of bed right before your alarm clock would go off. Hitting the snooze button after you wake up and going back to sleep causes many people to actually lose that mental alertness. This grogginess can last for hours, often hindering productivity to the max degree.

Tough tasks
While it is common for people to delay or put difficult tasks on the back burner, studies show that addressing these problems while your mind is fresh is the most ideal way to master this decision-making process. Not wanting to deal with difficult work-related tasks as soon as you come into the office is normal, but it also forces you to face this problem when your mental productivity is at its peak in the morning.

Limit sugar intake
Consuming foods with a max energy boost of 20 mins such as donuts or soda produces a huge mental crash after that amount of time. Eating healthy insoluble fibers or complex carbs such as oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa will provide your body with more sustainable energy lasting for hours on end.

Often misinterpreted, using moderation as a basis to approach your diet is an essential way to promote a healthy eating and overall lifestyle when going about your weekly routine. Contrary to popular belief, moderation does not necessarily mean cutting out all the foods that you love, it actually indicates limiting the intake of less healthy foods, while also maintaining a diet that is rich in fiber, calcium and protein.

Throughout this process, try your best to not ban any food groups or junk food from your diet, as this often results in wanting those foods more. When you happen to crave these foods more, this usually results in consuming these foods in bulk and often reduces your self esteem.

To avoid compromising any self-confidence, you can start by reducing the portion size of the chocolate chip cookie or the potato chips, while also lessening the intake frequency. For some, reducing the unhealthy intake of foods allows you to crave them less in order to consume these overly processed foods or high calorie snacks altogether.

With bigger portions becoming the normal size in restaurants all over the country, it takes even more self control to manage not only what, but how much you consume when dining out with friends or family. Ordering starters, splitting entrees and opting to drink water instead of soda or high calorie beverage is an ideal way to put a stop to overeating at restaurants.

When cooking at home, be mindful of portion control when you are preparing what the dinner menu will consist of on a day to day basis. Ideally, adhering to traditional serving sizes of proteins and carbs is a great way to manage how much food you are intaking. Your protein share should be the size of a deck of cards, while your carb size should be around the size of a light bulb. If you happen to still be hungry after a meal, adding more leafy green vegetables to a salad or eating some yogurt or fruit for dessert will help reduce hunger.

Another tip to keep in mind when eating is to eat slowly to allow yourself to realize when you are actually full. Often times people get so carried away eating as much as they can early on in the meal that they do not let their brains tell their bodies to register satisfaction after a meal.

Also, if you can, try to eat with others as much as you can in order to not only set a better example for others, but it also lets you think twice about your portions. Because eating in front of a TV or computer creates unhealthy eating for an extended period of time, try your best to eat meals away from any digital devices that would increase the likelihood of this happening.

In terms of planning ahead for meals, eating a healthy breakfast (such as eggs or oatmeal), allows you to get a jumpstart on your day, in addition to getting your metabolism on the right track. Snacking on dried fruits, nuts and oats can suppress hunger, while also providing the necessary energy throughout the day.

Eating anywhere within the hour after you workout is the most ideal timeframe to replenish your body’s muscles, joints and bones in the most effective way possible. In the process of repair and healing, consuming natural foods that provide your body with the necessary vitamins and nutrients is vital to help on a larger level. Lack of proper recovery can not only have your body feeling weaker than it should, but it also hinders any progress with building up endurance and lean muscle tissue.

An ideal recovery meal should include lean protein, good fat and healthy starches to provide your body with a well-balanced nutritional base when you are healing from the intense physical activity. Lean proteins such as eggs or chicken along with complex starches such as quinoa, sweet potato and beans are all great ways to replenish energy levels.

If you happened to work out more than an hour, seriously consider drinking a sports drink to rehydrate or provide different forms of energy lost during intense physical activity. After certain high intensity workouts, there comes a time that simply consuming water is not enough to provide your body with the energy it needs to actually recover to its full potential. Energy drink intake is specific to different needs, so be sure to do a bit of research to find which beverages are most beneficial to your goals, whether it is weight loss, toning or building up muscle.

While consuming a fair amount of healthy fats and proteins is the most ideal way to recharge energy in your body, one of the most unproductive things you can do is to overeat. If weight loss is one of your primary goals after working out, taking the time to evaluate what you are putting into your body before actually doing so is a great mental tool to practice some self-control. Some people may use the excuse that they in fact “earned” eating sweets or processed foods, but this in fact hinders progress with any goals you have previously set for yourself.

To maintain healthy cells which are constantly building and repairing themselves, consuming a spectrum of foods low in artificial sugar and fat is a key tip to remember as you work out throughout the week. In other words, the phrase “you are what you eat” is best to keep in mind before you end up splurging on junk food you may regret eating later on in the day.

Massive winter storms that force us to stay at home can sometimes be quite relaxing, but it’s fair to assume that some Americans often get into this rhythm of abrupt laziness once the temperature outside hits below forty degrees. Unfortunately, this trend has become commonplace for individuals of all ages because people have the tendency to indulge when the weather is not necessarily particularly inviting outside.

Although these fat-based comfort foods make you feel satisfied, the overall lack of nutrition causes your body to be more sluggish, often times more ways than one. While most of us can be tempted to be bundled up enjoying some hot chocolate, questioning whether or not your body needs the empty calories from a certain product is the best way to go in terms of eating well throughout the winter.

With this in mind, it’s vital to maintain a steady, nutrition based calorie intake throughout the winter as a means of boosting your immune system, feeling more energized and to actually engage in physical activity regardless of the temperature outside. Especially for the elderly, as you age well into your sixties or seventies your body naturally absorbs less nutrients from food, so pay special attention to how these loved ones are keeping up with their health.

The below is a general nutrition guide to follow during the winter months:

-Staying in the house during the wintertime not only increases physical fatigue for many people, but also creates an overall lack of vitamin D to lack of exposure to the sun. If you are unable to intake vitamin D from the sun naturally, consuming products such as insoluble fibers (grains), egg yolks and seafood which is very low in fat.

-Try your best to consume at least two to three servings of dark, leafy green vegetables which are super rich in antioxidants. Even if these types of vegetables are not necessarily your most favorite types of produce, you can try incorporating them in soups or stews or pairing them with sweeter vegetables such as yams.

-Carrots and yams have the naturally high sugar content that allow them to mask the not so sweet or sometimes bitter flavor of leafy green vegetables which are packed with vitamins. One resourceful way to convince your children or even other adults that are not too fond of green vegetables to consume is by combining them in smoothies which would cover any non-sweet taste.

-With oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruit in season during the cold, winter months, make a special effort to ingest these heavily packed vitamin C goods that are rich in flavonoids to increase good cholesterol. Doctors and various other medical professionals agree that it is much better for your health to actually consume the fruit in its entirety instead of processed drinks with a high level of artificial sugar.

Indulging in an occasional scoop of ice cream or two won’t necessarily be immediately detrimental, but please bear in mind that not forgetting those leafy green vegetables or a bowl of oatmeal can go a long way in terms of preventing sickness. For more information to stay well this winter take a look at Fairfax’s article which touches upon a variety of ways to help this process.

We all know that eating vegetables is one of the best ways to stay healthy. Packed with vitamins and nutrients, free of processed chemicals and sugars, veggies are the cornerstone of any healthy meal. But did you know that there is a family in the vegetable world that offers more than your average benefits? Filled with fat-fighting power, the cruciferous family of vegetables offer a wide variety of choices brimming with healthy potential. From kale to cauliflower, your choices are varied enough that you can include a member of this veggie family in each meal, and never eat the same dish for weeks. But what are some of the powerful benefits of joining the cruciferous family?

Body Health: This healthy delicacy promotes the production of healthy cells and immune-boosting enzymes. A protein inside the cruciferous vegetables not only help to fight off harmful bacterial infections, but they combat bowel cancer, chronic inflammation, and a host of other gut-related ailments

Anti-Aging: The benefits of this miracle veggie continue on from mere healthy living. A study conducted on this veggie family illustrated that after just three weeks of eating 1 to 2 cups of cruciferous vegetables, their oxidative stress dropped nearly 22%. The antioxidant power of these miracle greens is proof positive of its power.

Battle Your Belly: Environmental estrogen is everywhere. Produced from soy, plastics, and pesticides, this chemical is capable of grabbing hold of our belly fat and keeping it there. This miracle veggie helps to fight its build-up and keep that fat off your midsection.

Bodily Function: The cruciferous family is clearly an excellent source of many things, but perhaps their strongest contribution is their heaping helping of fiber. This fiber-rich miracle food will keep you full after a large meal, maintain regularity, and promote a healthy digestive tract. Without regular fiber, you can suffer some staggering ill-effects later in life, potential even bowel cancer.

For many, the first cup of coffee every day is a signal to start the day. A staple at any breakfast table, a fresh cup of coffee could be considered as American as apple pie, but like its pastry counterpart, coffee may be hiding darker secrets within the cup. Coffee and breakfast, once thought to be the greatest of breakfast allies, have since been proven to be enemies.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a reason. Your metabolism when you first wake is at it’s most ravenous. Able to devours carbohydrates like no other point during the day, large breakfasts are excellent for setting your metabolic rate and fueling up for a productive evening. Coffee, especially heavily caffeinated coffee, impairs the production of blood glucose and hinders your glucose tolerance. Compounded by increasing your insulin sensitivity, coffee basically throws a wrench into your body’s most productive time of the day.

If you’re worried about giving up your cup of joe, don’t worry just yet. Scientists were able to discover that the culprit was not the coffee, but the caffeine packed into each cup. A recent study conducted on ten healthy men, where half were given caffeinated coffee and the others were given decaf, showed a marked difference in blood glucose management and insulin sensitivity. Insulin, as we know, directly contributes to the burning of fat. The more insulin in our system, the more a body will store fat, making it very difficult to combat an expanding waistline.

Beyond switching to decaf, a preposterous proposition to the millions who look to their morning fix for fuel, there are other options. If you need your morning rocket fuel, try drinking your coffee without consuming carbohydrates. Though you’ll need to compensate for the lack of food in the morning, you’ll at least have what you need to get out the door.

The more active and healthy women stay, the better the aging process will be.

In a recent article, Fox News talks about how maintaining a healthy lifestyle, especially during stressful times in ones life can help reduce aging effects on the body. In a new study, 239 women between the ages of 50 to 65 were examined by researchers to see how their healthy diet and lifestyle affected their stress levels and aging to their body at the cellular level. The participants of the study were asked to report their health and behaviors in addition to major stressful situations in their lives such as losing a job, a divorce that occurred during this year long study.

In order for the researchers to measure the patient’s stress levels on a cellular level, the researchers measured the length of cell structures called telomeres. Telomeres are used as protective cap at the end of the chromosomes. It is believed that a cell’s length is related to and thought to be an index of cell’s aging. The researchers took blood samples for each of the patients at the beginning and end of the study. This was in to measure the changes in the white blood cell telomeres.

The results of the study showed that major stressful events in the subject’s life directly linked with a shortening in the telomeres. On the other hand, the women who participated in healthy behaviors had a decrease in decline of telomere length. However, for the women that didn’t eat right, exercise or slept less, they experienced more telomere shortening. One can conclude from this particular study that staying active, having a well balanced diet and sleeping well during high periods of stress are key to stop the advanced aging of our immune cells.

Healthy living is especially important to promote and keep up in order to prevent our bodies from premature aging and under times of pressures and stress such as death and caregiving. Even though the results of this study fall in line with many other studies that were similar, the researchers still noted that a body’s aging has many contributing factors such as genetics, behaviors and stressors over the course of one’s life.